A first officer report regarding scheduled flight times and the extension of flight hours flown due ...

Attributes
ACN	476440
Time
Date	200006
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sjc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 9700
ASRS Report	476440
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Airport Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Company Environmental Factor FAA
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

Our company has an interpretation of the part 121 flight time limitations that I consider unsafe. I also disagree with the interpretation. It concerns the maximum flight time in a 24 hour period. For instance, I had a 5 leg day scheduled for 7 hours 38 mins block hours. By the end of the third leg, I had already flown 7 hours 28 mins due to WX and ATC delays. To fly leg 4 alone would put me over 8 hours. The company's interpretation is that since the whole day was originally scheduled under 8 hours I could continue. My interpretation would be that I couldn't fly legs 4 and 5. It seems to me the intent of the rule is to prevent flying while fatigued. Further, that I shouldn't take off knowing that I will exceed 8 hours flight time. Not only did we go over 8 hours on the 4TH leg, we went up to 9 hours 51 mins by the end of leg 5. There is no guidance on this very important issue in our fom. Further, both the schedulers and most of the pilots agree with the company's interpretation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FO RPT REGARDING SCHEDULED FLT TIMES AND THE EXTENSION OF FLT HRS FLOWN DUE TO WX INDUCED TFC DELAYS AT ZZZ, US.

Narrative: OUR COMPANY HAS AN INTERP OF THE PART 121 FLT TIME LIMITATIONS THAT I CONSIDER UNSAFE. I ALSO DISAGREE WITH THE INTERP. IT CONCERNS THE MAX FLT TIME IN A 24 HR PERIOD. FOR INSTANCE, I HAD A 5 LEG DAY SCHEDULED FOR 7 HRS 38 MINS BLOCK HRS. BY THE END OF THE THIRD LEG, I HAD ALREADY FLOWN 7 HRS 28 MINS DUE TO WX AND ATC DELAYS. TO FLY LEG 4 ALONE WOULD PUT ME OVER 8 HRS. THE COMPANY'S INTERP IS THAT SINCE THE WHOLE DAY WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED UNDER 8 HRS I COULD CONTINUE. MY INTERP WOULD BE THAT I COULDN'T FLY LEGS 4 AND 5. IT SEEMS TO ME THE INTENT OF THE RULE IS TO PREVENT FLYING WHILE FATIGUED. FURTHER, THAT I SHOULDN'T TAKE OFF KNOWING THAT I WILL EXCEED 8 HRS FLT TIME. NOT ONLY DID WE GO OVER 8 HRS ON THE 4TH LEG, WE WENT UP TO 9 HRS 51 MINS BY THE END OF LEG 5. THERE IS NO GUIDANCE ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE IN OUR FOM. FURTHER, BOTH THE SCHEDULERS AND MOST OF THE PLTS AGREE WITH THE COMPANY'S INTERP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

A first officer report regarding scheduled flight times and the extension of flight hours flown due to WX induced traffic delays at ZZZ, us.